NPR Series on LEED a Worthwhile Listen

National Public Radio recently aired a two-part series on the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system. (Click here for part one. Click here for part two.) I recommend listening to the report. The reporter addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the program and provides some interesting data about green building and LEED. Did you know, for example, that one-third of all new construction in the United States today is considered green building? That is up from just 2 percent in 2005, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. NPR’s reporter does not talk about hotels but the content of his reports are relevant for those in lodging. He visits the University of Michigan and an elementary school in Washington, D.C.

He also chats with Rick Fedrizzi, president and CEO of USGBC.

LEED has certainly taken off not only in the lodging industry but all other commercial sectors as well. There are now more than 12,000 LEED certified buildings and more than 155,000 professionals have earned LEED accreditation. Last year, USGBC brought in $107 million, $42 million related to accreditation, according to the NPR report.

Be sure to check out the NPR series and then let me know what you think by leaving a comment here.